Page 21 - Mobility Management, October 2018

“Turning radius in the power chair industry,” he said, “is historically used to express half of the turning diameter. This is based on power chairs having two motors, casters and a pivot point, as opposed to steering like a car. The net result is that the lower the number, the smaller the space needed for turning. This makes for an all-around more maneuverable power chair in all environments.”
The location of a chair’s drive wheels greatly impacts that turning radius.
Measurements are not exclusive to a particular area, but must meet the client’s requirements, with areas of measurements often overlapping — Mark E. Smith
“When it comes to the impact of drive wheel placement on a power chair and turning radius,” Smith said, “it’s solely based on physics. A mid-wheel power chair has a smaller turning radius
because the pivot point for turning — that is, the drive wheel — is at or near center. You can have the same length of power chair in front-, rear-, and mid-wheel drive, and the mid-wheel drive simply turns in a smaller space.
“With that said, all power chairs experience a decreased turning radius — increasing maneuverability — as the overall length decreases. Nevertheless, maneuverability is only one
part of the equation. A very rugged outdoor user may benefit from front-wheel drive, or an ultra-high-speed user may benefit from rear-wheel drive, so drive wheel placement is an important consideration for each client, as well.”
Ayron King, ATP, Power Sales Specialist for Sunrise Medical, said a change in turning radius can have a huge impact on daily tasks.
“You need an open floor concept at home for a larger turning radius,” he said. “Smaller turning radiuses are huge advantages
in older homes that have narrow doorways and narrow halls, so you can take a 90° turn into a room. With a more open floor plan, you’ve got room for error.”
Staying Low
Seat-to-floor height can also have an enormous impact on the power chair user’s ability to interact with his or her environment.
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MOBILITY MANAGEMENT | OCTOBER 2018 21